SMS Competency - People Management and Empowerment

This is one of eleven competences that appear in the SMS Competency Framework for senior managers in South Africa's Public Service. All these competences are viewed as being critical for high performance in the senior manager’s role. The eleven competences are:

1. Strategic Capability and Leadership;
2. Programme and Project Management;
3. Financial Management;
4. Change Management;
5. Knowledge Management;
6. Service Delivery Innovation;
7. Problem Solving and Analysis;
8. People Management and Empowerment;
9. Client Orientation and Customer Focus;
10. Communication;
11. Honesty and Integrity;

Competency definition

Must be able to manage and encourage people, optimise their outputs and effectively manage relationships in order to achieve organisational goals

Proficiency level

Basic

• Participates in team goal setting and problem solving;
• Interacts and collaborates with diverse groups of people;
• Understands team strengths, weaknesses and preferences; and
• Is aware of the appropriate steps and guidelines for employee development and feedback, but not yet fully able to implement these.

Competent

• Seeks opportunities to increase personal contribution and level of responsibility;
• Supports and respects the individuality of others and recognises the benefits of diversity of ideas and approaches;
• Delegates and empowers others to increase contribution and level of responsibility;
• Applies labour and employment legislation and regulations consistently;
• Facilitates team goal setting and problem solving;
• Recognises differences between individuals, cultures and teams and provides developmental feedback in accordance with performance management principles;
• Adheres to internal and national standards with regards to human resource practices;
• Identifies competencies required and suitable resources for specific tasks;
• Displays personal interest in the well-being of colleagues;
• Able to manage own time as well as time of colleagues and other stakeholders; and
• Manages conflict through a participatory approach.

Advanced

• Analyses ineffective team and work processes and recommends improvement;
• Recognises and rewards desired behaviours and results;
• Mentors and counsels others;
• Addresses balance between individual career expectations and organisational needs;
• Considers developmental needs of personnel when building teams and assigning tasks;
• Establishes an environment in which personnel can maximise their potential;
• Guides others on managing people;
• Inspires a culture of performance excellence by giving positive and constructive feedback to the team;
• Creates links among various individuals, cultures and teams and instils a common sense of identity towards the achievement of goals by various team members and stakeholders;
• Shares knowledge of the big picture to help others understand their role; and
• Creates a culture of continuous learning and development.

Expert

• Develops and incorporates best practice people management processes, approaches and tools across the organisation;
• Creates processes to ensure accountability for people management and development;
• Exceeds set goals for employment equity and affirmative action;
• Has a reputation as a leader in fostering professional growth;
• Sought after as a mentor;
• Develops comprehensive, integrated strategies and approaches to managing human resources;
• Develops systems and processes to recruit and retain high quality staff; and
• Adapts leadership style to different people, cultures and situations.

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Copyright RSA Department of Public Service and Administration: SMS Handbook - Chapter 5: Competency Framework (2003).

See also…

How to degate: 66% of managers say they would like to “increase their use of delegation as a time management and personnel development tool.”

External Links

Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), Republic of South Africa